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I can feel the wind brush against my face and flow through my hair. I pressed my foot on the gas to accelerate. I love this feel, as if I was made for this thrill. I am driving a convertible through the Great Ocean Road - one of world's finest coastal driveway. I purse my lips to taste the saltiness in the air. 'Holy God of Travel', I say out loud.

Cruising through a stunning stretch that runs along the shoreline, I cross the idyllic seaside town of Lorne and Apollo Bay. Winding, twisting and turning, I am finally facing the Twelve Apostle at sunset. I am astonished by the grandeur of these craggy limestone towers. It makes me feel like I am just a small speck in God's creation. Another 3.5 km to the west, I park the car and walk down to get my feet wet at the Loch Ard Gorge. I cannot help but bask in the glory of being in the Most Livable Cityin the world. Would you believe if I tell you that I have landed in Melbourne just a few hours back?

Melbourne has greeted me with the most fabulous combination of colors I have ever seen. March has just begun. Green was turning to yellow and brown. I am staying at Base Backpacker Hostel at the vibrant suburb of St. Kilda. The beach is just a stone's throw away and there are lots of outdoor cafes at the nearby Acland street and Fitzroy street. It feels amazing to sit in one, with a good book in one hand and a cup of latte in another.

Exploring the City Center is easy - just hop onto the free of cost City Circle tram or understand the tram routes from a friendly local. Nostalgia hit me as I first looked at the tram. It reminded me of trams of Calcutta, a city where I have spent parts of my childhood. I took the tram route 96 to travel from Fitzroy street to the Fitzroy Gardens. It was a walk to remember as I strolled through it's sweeping lawns bordered by elm trees. The Cook's Cottage looked like it is straight out of the pages of history.

From Fitzroy Garden, it is a short ride on tram line 75 to the SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium at the bank of Yarra river. Inside you can have a virtual scuba diving experience as it gives you a 360 degree view of the aquatic life. A shiver ran through my spine as I looked at the salt water crocodile Pinjarra, stealthily swimming through the blue waters.

At Federation Square or Fed Square, I picked up a free map of Melbourne from the Melbourne Visitor Center. I walked the bluestone cobbled Hosier Lane to see the world famous graffitis and a smile lit my face when I saw Ganesha painted on a wall. I enjoyed a laneway lunch at 'Degraves Espresso Bar' at Degraves street. I stopped and tapped my feet to the music played by a group of musicians at Bourke street. The simplest way to explore Melbourne is to just wander through these laneways. And often while wandering through the laneways, I wondered 'what that amazing smell is?'.Melbourne is one of the best destination in the world for a foodie traveler. Remember Masterchef Australia? Dinner at The Press Club owned by George Calombaris brought back those memories. And of course, being a Bengali with a sweet tooth, I couldn't help but try Pavlova and Lamingtons. And mmm... foodgasmic they are!

I am not a shopoholic but Queen Victoria's market and Chapel street in South Yarra are places you should definitely check out if you love shopping. Spread across 17 acres, Queen Vic is a place where you'll get anything you ask for , unless you ask for a koala or a penguin.

Melbourne is also a city of festivals and events. From fashion to art to music to literature to sports, something is always being hosted in the city and no prize for guessing what's going on right now. The ICC Cricket World Cup 2015!!! The tickets were sold out so I figured out another way to take a peek inside the MCG. I took a Hot Air Balloon ride over the city and it was like feeding two birds with one scone. I wish I could tell you how flying feels. It felt like the sky was mine and as the sun rose, I floated above the Yarra river, MCG, Rod Laver Arena and a magnificent city dipped in fall color.

One night I went ahead to get a sky high view of a glittering Melbourne from Eureka Skydeck 88 - the highest public vantage point in the Southern Hemisphere. On the 88th floor of Eureka Tower and at a height of 285 m, this observation deck called 'The Edge' is definitely not for the weak hearted.

I traveled to Yarra Valley to sample the world famous wine of the region. I heard their Chardonnay is great, but being a red wine fanatic, I sampled a Pinot Noir. And oh! What a velvety, mouth-filling texture, possibly the most seductive wine in the world. I was high at dawn, not in 'spirit', but in spirit and altitude, as I again took a ride in a hot air balloon, this time over the tranquil vineyards.

The Dandenong Ranges, with its tall eucalyptus or Victorian Ash trees, reminded me of the Gudalur road in the Nilgiris of India. Therein lies the Sherbrooke Forest, where exploration takes its wildest form in all literal sense. I was awestruck at the Alfred Nicholas Gardens as colors of the deciduous trees blanketed the place in shades of yellow, orange, red and brown. As the leaves dropped in the quaint lake, it painted a quintessential look of autumn.

And here in the Dandenong Ranges, finally came the moment when I dangled my legs over the ledge of the Puffing Billy, as the world's oldest surviving steam engine chugged its way from Belgrave to Gembrook. The entire journey is full of vistas, but if you ask me for moments that took my breathe away, I would tell you about the time when Puffing Billy passes through Sherbrooke Forest and over the Monbulk Creek Trestle Bridge.

Next day I headed south to Mornington Peninsula. I swam and snorkeled in the white sand beach of Mount Martha. I promised to myself that the day I am a certified scuba diver, I would come back and explore the shipwrecks deep down.

Further south is the Peninsula Hot Springs - a spa created around natural hot springs with healing mineral rich water. I was not in a 'Victoria's Secret', but I was definitely in Victoria's best kept secret as I immersed myself in the hilltop pool offering a panoramic view of the surroundings, relaxing, rejuvenating and washing away all tiredness of travel.

If you are at Mornington Peninsula, take a ferry from Stony Point to Cowes beach at Phillip Island. That's exactly what I did. Phillip Island is a wildlife haven. I fed kangaroos and cuddled sleepy koalas at Maru Koala and Animal Park. I boarded a cruise to Seal Rocks to witness fur seals frolic and fish in the waters. And then as the sun set, I watched the Penguine Parade at the Summerland beach. As the cute Little Penguins - the smallest of all breed of Penguins, emerged from the sea after the day's fishing and waddled up the beach to their sand burrows, I went all 'awwww' and wondered if I can smuggle one out with me.

Retrospection hit me as my trip neared its end. I realized Melbourne was synonymous to the French word mélange. Yes, Melbourne IS a mélange - of heritage, art, music, literature, sports, beaches, mountains, wildlife, fashion, great cuisines and drinks, people from different parts of the world and I can go on and on about this... So instead I designed what my heart felt about Melbourne and here is the outcome of all the love I felt for this city -

Clockwise from top left : The main building, the courtyard, view from our room (the white building is the reception block) and standard room at Hotel Panorama.

I was in Ladakh this July for two weeks, right when Kalachakra 2014 was going on and not to mention that even the Hemis Festival dates had coincided with our stay. It was a time when Leh was thronged by travelers, spiritualists and media alike, to an extent that one day we got stuck in an hour long traffic jam. Yes, probably the highest traffic jam in the world!

A source from Ladakh had told me to pre-book our accommodation considering the rush, which at other times I wouldn't suggest for Ladakh. So I went on to Booking.com and after some research zeroed in on Hotel Panorama. I booked the last available rooms in that hotel for those dates when we were staying the night in Leh.

Location - Hotel Panorama is situated at Upper Changspa road, at about 20 minutes walking distance from the Main Market of Leh. The reception is separated from the main building by a courtyard and a garden.

The Rooms - We had booked the standard rooms which were clean, comfortable and centrally heated, with picture windows that provided panoramic view of the distant Himalayas (just as the hotel name suggests). The bathrooms were clean with running hot water (at least during the morning hours).

Amenities - Every room has a coffee table and two chairs and also, a dressing table fitted with a large mirror. There is a big wardrobe for storage. The rooms had satellite TV and the boys were happy as they were able to watch a much anticipated FIFA World Cup match. There is free internet WiFi too, but I often had to walk down to the reception building to get a strong signal.

Price - This hotel would not fit a backpacker's budget. Since it was peak season, we had to pay Rs. 1600 per room per night for 3 rooms that we had booked. At other times it would be wiser to land up directly at the hotel and bargain the price down to half.

Service & Staff - The service was a little slack at times, but the staff was friendly and always ready to help, even at the middle of the night when we needed a knife to cut a fruit (Don't ask why we felt hungry at that time :P ).

Top : View of Shanti Stupa from our room; Bottom : Sitting area near the reception

Surrounding - Shanti Stupa is just 2 minutes downhill from there and you can even see it from the hotel if you are in a front facing room. The hotel has courtyard sitting where one can sit and chill or grab a book and order a cup of their yummy coffee. Changspa road, which has lots of cafes, bakeries and restaurants, is just 10 minutes walk from Hotel Panorama.

Food - The food was ok. After we were disappointed with the fried rice and noodles that we had ordered on the first night, we stuck to only snacks and coffee for the rest of the 5 days we stayed there and went out to restaurants on Changspa road for the main meals.

The negative part is it is a little far from the Leh Market and thus obviously not for those who like to stay at the center of action. At times we had problems too if we needed something from the market, but it was a small percentage of inconvenience caused.

For people who like quiet surroundings, away from the hustle and bustle of the town, Hotel Panorama would be a good choice of stay in Leh.

People often ask me on receiving my Airbnb invite - "Hey what is this Airbnb?"

Airbnb isn't a new term among travelers. It is a site for people to rent out unique lodging around the world, and has been around for almost 6 years now. Here is my Airbnb referral link - www.airbnb.co.in/c/snandi5?s=8. Join Airbnb with this link to save Rs. 1545 on your first booking.

Two years back Airbnb launched the wish list feature which enables users to create a list of desired lodging they would like to stay in. Thus Airbnb went from being a platform for lodging rentals to a source for aspiration. This list once created can be shared with other users or kept private, according to the person's preference.

You would notice the 5 places range from budget to bombastically expensive ones. That's what wish lists are supposed to be like right? (In case I hit gold and become a millionaire in few years time ;-) )

1. "Alone on your own Fiji Island", Nanuku Levu, Fiji, Rs. 30906/night, Accommodates 10 guests - Well if you are actually a group of 10 friends, this wouldn't be as expensive as it sounds. But if someone wishes to celebrate honeymoon there, you got to break the piggy bank buddy, or probably a real bank!

2. "Stunning All Bamboo House near Ubud", Abiansemal, Bali, Indonesia, Rs. 20089/night, Accommodates 9 guests - I am so mesmerized by its earthy and rustic look, as if it is just out of a dream - my dream. This is that kind of place that I would love to share with very close friends and relax for few days there, till we realize we are running out of money.

3. "Jack Sparrow House, Cornwall", Helston, England, United Kingdom, Rs. 9681/night, Accommodates 2 guests - If you analyze closely you'll realize, this is by far the most expensive "wish" in this wish list, since I get to share this only with one other person. If you are willing to spend money on this cute (and weird) and cozy pirate house, I think it's well worth a night's experience. Savvy?

4. "Original old Afghani yurt", Nuremberg, Bavaria, Germany, Rs. 2214/night, Accommodates 2 guests - Yurts are portable dwellings used by nomads in Central Asia and this accommodation here is an almost replica of a yurt. I know what you are thinking right now. You will probably get the grapes and wine if you pay for it, but definitely not the belly dancers!!!

This is a conversation between two friends flying on #LufthansaA380 from New Delhi to Frankfurt. Let's eavesdrop on their girl talk and find out what or who are these two girls so seriously talking about ;-)

******************************************************************************************************************************************************************Sanya : Hey Navs, late as always! This time I thought you'll definitely miss the flight.Navisha : I wouldn't even dream of missing this flight. Oh Sanya! I'm so excited!!! We are finally leaving for our Eurotrip and not on just any flight - on Lufthansa A380. Look at the size of it!

Sanya : When I saw the A380 for the first time, I thought can this giant fly? We Indians always run after big things. Big phones. Big cars. They even want the Mini Cooper to be big in India. And now even the aviation industry feels so. Navs, why do you think bigger is better for Indian Aviation?Navisha : I can think of mainly one explanation.Sanya : And that is?

Navisha : India is among the favorite destination for travelers and backpackers worldwide. Whether for the Great Himalayas or Taj Mahal or the beaches and night life of Goa or backwaters of Kerala, tourists from west and east alike, throng the largest democracy in the world to explore its gems. Agreed?

Sanya : True that!

Navisha : Here are three facts about India’s tourism sector – 1) Tourism in India generates 6.8% of the nation’s GDP. 2) 2013 saw nearly 7 million international tourist arrivals. 3) Over 12 million Indians take international trips each year for tourism purpose alone. So, with hardly any ferry services available any more from India to Middle East and I assume not many would prefer to take the Turkey-Iran-Pakistan-India route by train or by road, the Indian aviation industry steals the show big time.

Sanya : Wow Navs... That's a boxful of information! So considering the immense number of foreign arrivals and Indians traveling abroad each year, the bottom line is “Bigger is Better for Indian Aviation”.

Navisha : Absolutely!

Navisha : Wow... I always wish I could meet the pilot and more so of an A380! What a pride it might be right Sanya? To fly the world's largest passenger airline.

Sanya : Well that's not all... Apart from being the world's largest passenger aircraft, Lufthansa A380 has many more things to its credit.

Navisha : Tell me! I am all ears!!!

Sanya : First you tell me what criterion would you use to rate a flight. Tell me one by one.

Navisha : On-time performance?

Sanya : Lufthansa is rated among World's top 10 most on-time airline, with an on-time performance of 85% - which is extremely good.

Navisha : Amazing! Value for money?

Sanya : You booked this flight. You tell me.

Navisha : Well the Lufthansa flight tickets were a bit expensive than some other airlines but I preferred paying the extra amount for their reliable services, be it in-flight or during ground handling. I have always been satisfied with my past experiences.

Sanya : There you go!

Navisha : Hey, check this out. I connected to Facebook using Lufthansa's FlyNetwifi service and found this awesome timelapse video of Lufthansa A380's first arrival at Delhi T3 airport -

Sanya : That was amazing. We have been talking for long. Did you realize exactly when the flight took off? I have flown with you previously and know that you get nervous during the take off.Navisha : Oh my God! I didn't realize when the flight took off!Sanya : Ha! Ha! The A380 is quieter than other planes and has an extremely smooth landing and take-off quality. The aircraft is so high on artificial intelligence that it can even “think” for itself and automatically apply the brakes after landing on the runway.Navisha : This is outstanding! Whoaaa... It's the dawn of a new era.Sanya : Amen!

Navisha : Mmm... The food is delectable!

Sanya : And so is the wine... Amazing!

Navisha : And a latest movie collection too.

Sanya : One more thing I like about Lufthansa is their cabin crew. They are not only just dressed in a classy and professional way, but also friendly, attentive and extremely courteous.

Navisha : I absolutely agree. Brownie points to them!!!

Sanya : I need to use the loo. Too much of wine I had or may be it's because of the high altitude.

Sanya : So according to you bigger is better for Indian aviation. And we have discussed the perks of flying with Lufthansa A380. But how are these two linked?

Navisha : Well don't you see - with so many foreign arrivals and Indians traveling abroad, India needs more international flights. More flight means more fuel emission. Instead, if there is a jumbo flight like A380 carrying as many passengers that we could fit in all those flights, it means less carbon emission and responsible business expansion.

Sanya : Now I know why they call Lufthansa A380 the Green Giant. With so much of global dimming and climatic change, environmental fleets are all that we need.

Navisha : I can't believe we haven't slept a bit during the flight.

Sanya : I just realized the seat belt sign was turned off during the entire flight, so smooth it was!

Navisha : That was the most smooth landing I have ever experienced!

Navisha : This was the most perfect international flight experience I have ever had. I wish Mumbai did not have the parking bay issue. I had to fly from Mumbai to Delhi to board this flight. It's like a missed opportunity for Mumbai. Sigh...

Sanya : Don't fret! I heard by next year the Lufthansa A380 will be flying in and out of Mumbai too.

Navisha : Icing on the cake is – just last week, India introduced Visa-on-Arrival for tourists and business visitors to citizens of 43 countries, including Germany. That means more foreign arrivals from Germany to India and more opportunities for both Lufthansa and India's tourism sector.

Sanya : That's awesome news! I hope the same is extended to Indian passports too in near future by the Schengen countries.

Navisha : Fingers crossed! By the way, did you notice that handsome steward.

Sanya : For 8 hours and 20 minutes! ;-)

*********************************************************************************This post is written for the contest "Lufthansa A380 - The dawn of a new era" in association with Lufthansa and Indiblogger. To visit Lufthansa India's site click here.

P.S. - Sanya and Navisha are two very close friends of mine who actually flew on Lufthansa and had a very similar conversation between themselves all night as they were very impressed by the airline's service. And you thought girl talk always consists of clothes, make up, accessories and guys. Well only part of it may be ;-)

Winter is finally here and it is time that I start craving for a white Christmas. I know many of you like to head to tropical destination during this time where the temperature is pleasant. But some like me, prefer to pull out those stylish winter wears, head to a winter destination, cozy up by the fire place with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book and say "Aah! This is bliss...". When we are not reading, we head out for a snow fight, go snow trekking or for those who can - Skiing!! So for the love of snow (not Jon Snow duh!), here are 10 places in India where you can head to this winter -

1. Gulmarg (Jammu &Kashmir)

Image Courtesy : www.tushky.com

The first place that comes to my mind when I think of skiing in India is Gulmarg. 2 hours from Srinagar by car or bus, Gulmarg is a favourite among skiers, both professional and beginner's alike. Here you can get deep powder snow perfect for backcountry skiing and snowboarding. The ski resort is also proud of its Gondola ride. At a height of 3746 metres, it was world's highest cable car ride, until very recently the La Paz cable cars of Bolivia overtook it. Gulmarg is rated among Asia's 8 best ski destinations by CNN International.

2. Pahalgam (Jammu &Kashmir)

Image Courtesy : www.thehindu.com

Perfectly layered with snow, Pahalgam feels like paradise on earth during winters. Sit by the Lidder river, do some winter trekking, make friends with the local kids, attend the 2 day Snow Festival held sometime in January or just play with snow while you are there. You can reach Pahalgam by a shared or hired taxi from Srinagar which would take a little over 2 hours.

3. Dalhousie (Himachal Pradesh)

Image Courtesy : www.hillpost.in

Image Courtesy : www.wikipedia.com

Situated in the Chamba valley, Dalhousie is that quintessential winter destination where the land gets covered in a blanket of snow, the air gets chilly, the surroundings misty and its dense pine and deodar forests get shrouded with snow flakes. If all you are looking for is calmness, head to Dalhousie for some soul searching. If all you are looking for is adventure, you can still head there and join the 6D/5N National Himalayan Winter Trekking Expedition being organised by Youth Hostels Association of India anytime between 11-Dec-2014 to 5-Jan-2015.

4. Manali (Himachal Pradesh)

Image Courtesy : www.trekearth.com

This beautiful town is a favorite with travelers and tourists alike, be it in summer or winter. But to see it in its full glory and to escape the maddening crowd of peak season, I urge you to head there between December to February. Not only will you be mesmerized by its magical white beauty, you will also benefit from the off season hotel discounts. While you are there, try your hands (or rather legs) in snow trekking, enjoy Himalatan trout fish at Johnson's Cafe or head to Solang valley for some skiing.

5. Shimla (Himachal Pradesh)

If romance is on your agenda or you are newly married, Shimla or Simla (as many like to call it), is the perfect place you could head to. Just cozy up by the fire place or take a walk around the colonial town. If you are the adventurous type, the nearby ski resort Kufri might be of interest to you. And if you want to get away from the crowd of Shimla, head to the quaint hamlet of Chail (42 km) for some peace of mind.

6. Narkanda (Himachal Pradesh)

Image Courtesy: www.flickr.com

The quiet town of Narkanda, 64 km from Shimla, is a hiker's delight and also a skiing resort. Hatu Peak (3400 m) is a famous hiking destination 7 km from Narkanda, on the Hindustan Tibet road. Narkanda is also famous for its apple orchards. Head to Narkanda in January if you want to experience snow.

7. Auli (Uttarakhand)

Image Courtesy : www.adventuretrekking.org

Auli is like the new kid in the block which has fast caught up with other Ski destinations like Gulmarg, Manali or Shimla. Auli hosts the national skiing championship annually and was also the host of 2011 South Asian Winter Games along with Dehradun. You can get ski certified here by attempting a training course with Garhwal Mandal Vikas Nigam (GMVN). Auli offers panoramic view of the nearby snow clad peaks like Nanda Devi, Trisul, Neelkanth and Mana Parbat. To get to Auli, you have to take a taxi from Haridwar (299 km) which is the nearest railhead.

8. Munsiyari (Uttarakhand)

This untouched hamlet is absolutely off the beaten track. Munsiyari is paradise for people interested in high altitude trekking, glacier exploration and mountaineering. If you are in search of ski slopes, you can head to the nearby Khalia Top or Betulidhar. Munsiyari offers awe-inspiring vistas of snow capped Himalayan Ranges and can be reached from Nainital (300 km) by hired taxis or buses.

9. Spiti Valley (Himachal Pradesh)

Ki Monastery (Image Courtesy : www.Buzzoop.com)

Image Courtesy : www.devilonwheels.com

Very few would dare to venture into the Spiti Valley during the winters, but nothing could be more rewarding than a surreal white Spiti after driving through the harsh conditions on NH 22. If you plan to brave this, you can get a lot of ideas from www.devilonwheels.com.

10. Chadar Trek (Ladakh)

Image Courtesy : www.chadartrek.com

Image Courtesy : www.flickr.com

Well Chadar is not exactly snow, rather frozen ice. But I had to add it for the love of it. Because for the extreme adventurers, there is no better winter destination than the Chadar. When some villages in the Zanskar valley of Ladakh become inaccessible during winter, the only way to get there is to trek on frozen river Zanskar. The trek is done from Chilling Sumdo to Naerak Camp and back and takes 9 days. The Chadar will entice you every moment while you are there as it constantly keeps changing.

So what are you waiting for? Head out to any of these places, get awed and wonder-struck by the beauty of whiteness all around, run around catching snowflakes during snowfall, pelt each other with snow balls, build a snowman with a red scarf and carrot nose, lie on the snow and make a snow angel and if you don't know how to ski, whee down the slopes in a toboggan. When you get tired, sit by the fireplace with a cup of hot chocolate and a good book and say "Aah... This is bliss...".